Strolling Down Temptation Lane
by stardust2002
Summary: Takes place directly after "One Life to Lose" - spoilers for that episode. Castle/Beckett, romance/banter/angst.  Castle learns a secret about Beckett, one he plans to use to his advantage.


She pushed open the glass doors and ran across the pavement, glad she'd caught him in the nick of time. "Castle! Wait!"

He straightened up and turned to face her, hand still on the cab door. Concern clouded his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just wondered if you wanted to get something to eat."

He cocked a questioning eyebrow at her.

"Josh got called in to work and had to cancel our date. I thought if you hadn't left yet maybe you'd want to head over to Remys with me." She waited. "If not, I'll just head home and see what leftovers I can find in my fridge ...". She knew the mention of her science-experiment laden fridge would tug on his Martha Stewart side.

"Let's go." He swept his arm out gallantly and ushered her into the still-waiting cab.

They talked of soap operas over dinner. It was a conversation she'd never in her wildest dreams ever imagined having with him, but after the somewhat embarrassing revelation about enjoying Temptation Lane and Castle not teasing her but instead understanding with a gentle humor that made her feel at ease, it was one that had been most enjoyable.

They stood outside, considerably later, in the chilly night air waiting for a cab, arms just touching.

"It's funny, no, maybe not so funny, that people enjoy soap operas because all they're about are people keeping secrets from one another, when keeping secrets is the one thing that always seems to get people in trouble and destroy otherwise good relationships," Castle mused, serious for a change.

"Mmm," was all she said in reply.

As a cab drove up and stopped, Kate leaned up to whisper in his ear. "I've got a secret," she said softly.

"Care to share?" His eyebrows lifted and a mischevious smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

"If I tell you, you have to promise never to tell a soul."

"I promise."

"And you have to promise never to use it against me at work."

"I swear. Cross my heart - " he made the gesture " - and hope to die."

She smiled seductively at him and leaned closer, lips touching his ear. "It really, _really_ turned me on when you called me Katherine." Then she skipped across the pavement and got into the cab, not looking back at his mouth hanging open at her confession.

**xxxxx**

Richard Castle arrived at work extra early the next morning. He was hoping to arrive before Kate, although he wasn't yet sure quite what he was going to do with the information she'd given him. He'd replayed _The Scene_ in his mind a thousand times, like a YouTube video he just couldn't stop watching over and over, and had had, it was true, to take a cold shower in order to get to sleep. That hadn't happened in a long time. Not that Kate, no - _Katherine_ Beckett didn't inspire in him the kind of feelings that needed either a cold shower or a night of passion to assuage, but since she'd decided to give Josh another chance he'd backed off and tried to think of her as a friend only.

It was easy at times. Particularly when a case had been hard on her or something emotional had shaken her; he felt a protectiveness towards her that had nothing to do with passion and everything to do with love. For he loved her - yes, he could admit it to himself, but he was willing to love her as only a friend if necessary ... he would love her any way she needed him. Couldn't stop the feeling from happening no matter how hard he tried.

But _this_ ... she was playing with him. Teasing him in a way she hadn't in months. Scrambling his brain and turning his best intentions on their head. It wasn't fair. He had to find a way to get her back, if only to find out whether or not this flirtation was serious. Was Josh still in the picture, and if so, why was she doing this? He knew she wasn't the type to flirt outrageously with one man while being committed to another. Something just wasn't right.

Of course she beat him in this arena too - she was already at her desk when he stepped off the elevator. He smiled and walked over, handing her the large coffee he'd made sure was just right.

"Good morning, Katherine," he said softly, sitting down in his usual chair opposite her.

"You promised!" she hissed.

"And I'm keeping that promise." He spread his arms wide. "You don't see anyone around, do you? No one heard."

"You promised not to use it at work," she reminded him, eyes narrowed.

"Technically we're not working yet. I just got here."

"_I'm_ working."

"Fine. I suppose you're right.". He leaned in closer. "I wouldn't want to turn you on while you're working. Might be too distracting and then you'd never get anything done."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Like your very presence isn't distracting enough already."

They both realized the second meaning in what she'd said at the same moment and their eyes met for a second before Kate's dropped down to her desk. "That wasn't what I meant."

"No take-backs."

She looked at him, exasperation masking another emotion he couldn't quite catch. "Yeah well, you broke your promise."

"Did not."

"Did not what?" Ryan asked, as he and Esposito arrived and joined them.

"Nothing," they said in unison, exchanging a quick glance.

Castle's heart sank as Kate cleared her throat, professionalism covering whatever it was he didn't have time to explore. Lately it seemed like their 'almost' moments were growing exponentially - the ones that flirted at the edge of dangerous territory but always ended in either 'we need to get back to work' or Josh interrupting them and the moment being lost forever.

He wondered, not for the first time, just how many chances fate was going to give them to get it right before giving up.

**xxxxx**

The day's work done, Castle stood up, stretched and picked up his coat. "Goodnight, detective, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Castle - wait."

He stopped and waited as bidden while Kate put her jacket on and walked with him to the elevator. The silence lengthened between them until the doors closed, leaving them alone for a precious few moments.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"I don't know. The usual I suppose." He shrugged. "Going home, making dinner, getting verbally abused by my freeloading mother who now has enough money to support herself but instead prefers to make my life interesting by continuing to live with me. Seeing my daughter for all of three seconds before she dashes out the door to be with Ashley ... nothing special. Why?"

Kate twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "You want to come over?"

"You don't have plans?"

"This is called _making_ plans, Castle. If I already had other plans I wouldn't be asking you, now would I?"

"S'pose not. Everything okay with you and Josh?"

"S'pose so," she echoed, hint of a smile glinting in her eyes.

"You haven't spent much time with him lately."

"You keeping tabs or what?"

"Well ... "

"Should I be flattered or scared?"

"Both?" he offered with an apologetic grin. "I'm ninety percent concerned friend, ten percent crazed stalker."

"Funny, I could have sworn it was the other way around."

"Very funny, Beckett. Very funny."

She turned to face forward as the elevator doors opened. "At least you didn't call me Katherine. That's a start."

"Oh come on." He followed her out onto the street. "You told me you liked it and then made me promise not to do it. That's practically an open invitation to walk in and slam the door shut behind me."

"You try to walk in and I might just slam the door right in your face."

He threw his hands up in the air. "Can't win, can I?"

She threw him a glance over her shoulder. "You've been living with two women for how long, Castle? I would have thought you'd know that already."

"Touché, Katherine."

She climbed into the cab first, sliding over to give him room. "There you go, pushing it again."

"It's what I do, darlin'."

"And you do it well."

He preened. "Thank you." He leaned over and whispered. "Katherine."

She growled low in her throat and looked over at him. "You really want me to attack you here, in the back of the cab?"

He lifted an eyebrow flirtatiously. "You really want me to answer that?"

**xxxxx**

"I never thought you were the beer-drinking type." Castle took a long swig of the cold one she'd opened for him and sighed as he felt the liquid warm his insides.

"I'm not really, though once in a while I'll indulge. I mostly keep them for when Jo ... " She stopped. "For when I have company over."

"Oh. You have company over often?" he asked, feigning nonchalance.

She dropped onto the couch beside him and took a long swig. "What do you think?"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Castle swallowed hard and decided to dive in headfirst. "I think you're a very lonely woman."

"Lonely or lovely? One sip and you're already slurring your words." He could hear the smile in her voice though she hid her eyes behind long lashes.

"Both."

She blushed a deep shade of red and looked away. "I do have a boyfriend you know."

"Yes, I'm well aware of that fact," he answered, a trifle sharply. "However, he might as well be an imaginary friend for all that you ever see him. I thought he was staying in New York to be _with_ you."

"So did I."

The silence grew heavy between them and Castle knew he'd screwed up. "I'm sorry," he said softly, hoping an apology was enough because he really didn't trust himself to say more.

"No, it's okay." She turned to face him, nodding her head as if finalizing a decision she'd been wrestling with. "You're right. He may be in the same city I am but I don't see him any more than I would if he were halfway across the world. Makes me wonder if he really wants the chance I'm giving him."

"I've been wondering the same thing."

Her one eyebrow raised. "Thinking you might have a chance to move in on his territory?" she said dryly.

"You're the one whose been flirting with me, Kate," he said, voice edgy. "I'm not quite sure what to think of what's been going on lately." He drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Sorry. I'm thinking as a concerned friend here. I saw how happy you were when Josh decided not to go to Haiti and I know you wanted to give him another chance. But it seems like all you guys do is play phone tag and cancel dates on each other. I see you every day and I know it's hurting you, even though you pretend it isn't. I know you like to keep up this persona that you're superwoman and you can handle anything but I _know_ you, Kate Beckett, and I know this relationship is causing you more stress than it's fixing. I guess I've just been wondering if it's worth it, and why you're still not willing to let go when it's obvious it really isn't working out."

"Old fashioned bullheaded stubbornness?" she said tiredly, with a lopsided smile, letting him know she wasn't mad. "I hate admitting I'm wrong."

"You're not perfect you know. None of us are, though you're awfully damned close."

"Castle," she giggled self consciously, growing pink spots warming her cheeks.

"It's true." He took another long swig. "Why do you think I picked you as my model for Nikki Heat?"

"Because you thought I'd be flattered and sleep with you as thanks."

"Ouch. That hurts."

"The truth usually does."

They smiled at one another, equilibrium regained.

"Thanks, Castle," Kate said softly. "I always seem to see things more clearly when I talk to you."

He gave her the sketch of a bow - torso only since he was still sitting. "At your service. That's what I'm here for."

"And here I thought you kept coming back because you liked the abuse."

"Well there could be some of that too ... _Katherine_."

She punched him.

"Ow! Come on, I was just - "

She punched him again.

"No fair! Katherine's a pretty name and I - "

This time she wrestled him down, ending up laying on top of him. "If you call me Katherine one more time I'm going to have to seriously hurt you," she growled.

Castle smiled at her dilated pupils and shallow breathing. "Now how can I resist an invitation like that ... _Katherine_?"

~ fin ~


End file.
